8.3 Setting Up Net Folders

8.3.1 Specifying Net Folder Servers

Net Folder Servers are connections to shares on Windows file servers. You can set up as many connections to each file server as needed. For the hands-on lab, you create one Net Folder Server for each Share defined in Setting Up the Other Hands-on Exercise Folders and Files.

Configuring the Home_Folders Net Folder Server

  1. Under Management, click Net Folder Servers.

  2. Four of the users that you synchronized with the Windows server have Home directories on the server. Therefore, the Net Folder Server for the Home_Folder$ share on your Windows server (for example, Windows-DC-Home_Folders$), is already created and listed.

    IMPORTANT:Although Home folders are technically like other Net Folders in Filr, their primary role is personal storage. Therefore, they are accessed through My Files rather than through Net Folders.

  3. The Home Net Folder Server is marked with an icon that indicates that its configuration needs attention.

    In the Name column, click the Home_Folders$ server link.

  4. One valuable Filr feature is the ability to share files and folders with others who do not have native file system rights.

    This sharing functionality is provided through Net Folder proxy users. However, the Home Net Folder Server has no Net Folder proxy user configured. That is why the yellow icon is displayed.

    You granted the Net Folder proxy user (filrproxyuser) full control of the Home_Folders$ share in Step 2. You simply need to make Filr aware of that assignment.

    1. In the Proxy Name field, type the DN of the filrproxyuser.

      For example, in the guide’s development environment, this is

      cn=filrproxyuser,cn=testusers,dc=filr-lab, dc=local

    2. In the Proxy Password field, type the password specified for the filrproxyuser:

      For example, N0v3llfi!r

    3. Click Test Connection.

  5. When you click Test Connection, you should see a message that the test succeeded.

    Click OK.

  6. Click OK > OK.

    The warning icon is removed.

Configuring the Other Net Folder Servers

  1. To add Net Folder Servers for the other shares on the Windows server, click Add.

  2. Use the information in Table 8-1 as you add a Net Folder server for each share.

    Table 8-1 Net Folder Servers to Add

    Share

    Field

    Text

    Dev

    Name
    • Development

    Server Path
    • \\windows-server-IP-address\Dev

    Proxy Name

    filrproxyuser DN

    For example: cn=filrproxyuser,ou=testusers,dc=filr-lab,dc=local

    filrproxyuser Password

    For example: N0v3llfi!r

    IS

    Name
    • IS

    Server Path
    • \\windows-server-IP-address\IS

    Proxy Name

    filrproxyuser DN

    For example: cn=filrproxyuser,ou=testusers,dc=filr-lab,dc=local

    Proxy Password

    For example: N0v3llfi!r

    Mrktg

    Name
    • Marketing

    Server Path
    • \\windows-server-IP-address\Mrktg

    Proxy Name

    filrproxyuser DN

    For example: cn=filrproxyuser,ou=testusers,dc=filr-lab,dc=local

    Proxy Password

    For example: N0v3llfi!r

    Sales

    Name
    • Sales

    Server Path
    • \\windows-server-IP-address\Sales

    Proxy Name

    filrproxyuser DN

    For example: cn=filrproxyuser,ou=testusers,dc=filr-lab,dc=local

    Proxy Password

    For example: N0v3llfi!r

    1. Type the information for each share in the fields indicated, beginning with Dev. Then click Test Connection to verify that the information is typed correctly.

      Notice that the Net Folder Server names do not necessarily need to mirror the server and share names.

    2. Click OK.

    3. Under Synchronization Schedule, select

      • Enable Scheduled Synchronization

      • Every Day

      • Repeat every 0.25 hours

      Then click OK.

    4. Repeat from Step 2 to create Net Folder Servers for the IS, Marketing, and Sales shares.

  3. Click Sync.

    When the sync operation completes, Filr has metadata for each Net Folder Server in its database.

  4. Continue with Creating Net Folders and Setting Net Folder Access and Sharing Rights.

8.3.2 Creating Net Folders and Setting Net Folder Access and Sharing Rights

Net Folders are connections to specific directories on Net Folder Servers. You can set up as many Net Folders as needed. You can also specify a separate and independent synchronization schedule for each Net Folder.

  1. Under Management, click Net Folders.

  2. Use the information in Table 8-2 as you create the Net Folders needed for the hands-on exercises.

    Table 8-2 Net Folder Configuration Information

    Name

    Server

    Relative Path

    Users with Rights to Net Folder

    Sharing Rights

    reviews

    Development

    personnel\reviews
    • ared
    • Allow Access
    • Internal

    comp planning

    Development

    personnel\salaries

    ared

    Allow Access

    projects

    Development

    projects

    ared

    Allow Access

    Internal

    External

    training

    IS

    training\quick_starts
    • ablue

    Allow Access

    Internal

    Re-share

    cool stuff

    Marketing

    advertising\brochures
    • ayellow

    Allow Access

    Internal

    External

    Public

    Re-share

    projections

    Sales

    revenue\projections
    • ablack

    Allow Access

    Internal

    2013 tracking

    Sales

    revenue\quotas
    • ablack

    Allow Access

    Internal

    1. Click Add.

      Although the Home_Folders$ share is Net Folder Server and four users have Home folders, there are no Net Folders displayed.

      Home folders are displayed and managed under My Files rather than Net Folders.

    2. Referring to Table 8-2, in the New Net Folder dialog type a name (starting with reviews). Select the appropriate Net Folder Server, type the relative path for the Net Folder, then click Test Connection to verify that the information is entered correctly.

    3. Click OK.

    4. Click Index the Contents of This Net Folder and Enable Just-in-Time Synchronization.

      Although content indexing carries significant processing overhead and should, therefore, probably not be applied to all Net Folders, the content used in these exercises is so small that the overhead involved with indexing is miniscule.

    5. Click the Rights tab.

      In the User or Group field, begin typing the user listed in the table, then select the correct user.

    6. In the Grant Rights dialog, set the sharing rights as listed for the folder, then click OK.

    7. Click OK.

    8. Click OK, then return to Step 2 for the next Net Folder.

    9. When all of the Net Folders have been specified, continue with Enabling Sharing.